Senses Fail
by Rebel Kat
Summary: Itex initiates an army upon the flock, as their mutations advance and mature. Eraser Max has returned demanding her rank as Alpha in the organziation. Iggy is confined in torment. Others will be detained and divded, but both sides fortifying.
1. Chapter 1

"They're such a pathetic lot aren't they?" The girl who once possessed brown hair with blond streaks now dyed to a black-ish hue with red tipped locks. Her voice full of attitude and determination, focused even.

She gazed through thick eyelashes at the group several miles below them. After two years, the three of them have gained a few improvements. "The little blonde female hasn't even noticed us," she snickered. Despite her hair change, she still retains the similar features of Maximum Ride. When she snickered her nose wrinkled slightly, her freckles mimicking the same movement. But Max II was nothing like the original and she hated to be reminded of that. Hated being reminded of the failure she was while Maximum Ride received all the glory, all the happiness.

"We should take them now," her wings were emerging slowly from her shoulder blades, creeping over back and around her body, wings that could not be dyed by the human product called Clairol. Something that infuriated Maximum Ride II than the two beside her; one of greatness and one of power. And where did that leave her?

She was tired of waiting, tired of this recon mission and desired some action, desired to show that she wasn't a liability that she was something. "Don't be rash." It was like a giant hand wrapped itself around her body, pinning her arms and wings tightly to her body. "This is not your fight." Even as a mutant he was the most breath-taking boy Max II laid eyes on. Of course, he would never be her's.

Never.

He was more interested in her. With a glare, she spat to the side. "Oh, I forgot." Feigning stupidity, it was never her fight, never duty, never her anything. It was always her; she glared at the girl beside Omega. A girl who was only favored second to Maximum Ride.

Rayne. She could see why Omega liked her. The beauty, the power, the grace blah blah. It made her sick to her stomach. "Whatever." Max II sat back on her heels and crossed her arms like a stubborn child. "And what she going to do?"

His bleached blonde hair billowed in the wind, covering half of his face. Smiling that beautiful movie star revealing pearly whites he winked at her. Her heart melted but only a drop broke through her dam. "Her job."

"Bye losers." Rayne blew Omega a kiss and threw a middle finger towards Max II. Only infuriating the winged girl further. Her laughed carried throughout the wind as she plummeted towards the ground.

It wasn't long before two of the six mutants heard a familiar sound. Angel was the first to sense a foreign mind in the group. It was filled with scattered thoughts, volatile and violent. Wickedly the wind picked up around her, hair whipping wildly against her face that is felt like sand. She cried out Max's name.

Before Iggy had time to react he heard the strange breeze howl through the trees as the group sat around their campsite. They were wolfing down delicious treats that they raided from a small town market about fifteen miles from where they sat. The fire went out as the howling wind blew it out like it was a candle.

"Well, you must be the pathetic group known as the flock". The girl or was it a woman? She looked older than the flock maybe by a year or two. But her figure was curved, developed in the hip and chest area. And her face was perfectly oval, with wavy golden hair falling just towards her shoulders.

Already the flock was in some fighting stance. The girl that resembled that naïve…what was her name again? Whatever, this one was the leader. Max, with her fists balled arms out in front of her, legs apart she was the leader. The one that took a chip every mutant's side. That everyone looked up to save them, save the world.

She didn't look so great, a mere child playing an adult game. As for the other, her eyes glided to a dark shadow. Hmm, he was attractive. Now he should be the leader. Dark tousled hair flanked over his eyes, over sharp and olive cheek bones. _I would love to play with him. _She saw the muscles roll from his arms, his veins become prominent and beautiful.

He stood tall and straight, his hands moving to his sides. His hand reaching for something.

As for the others, she sighed. This was boring mere children what could they do? The tall, strawberry-blond boy was the worst, she didn't need to see his charts to know that. His milky eyes, blind of course. He should be the first to die. Save him from a life of misery. Much too scrawny anywhere, he wasn't even preparing fight. Just standing their gawking like an idiot, hands behind his back. Or was that his strategy?

The little girls had big eyes of worry and zest. The dark skin one bit her lip nervously, drawing blood. The pale one, blond short one there was something in that one's eyes. Something like knowledge, like power. She would make a lovely addition to their gang. "Never!"

"Brat." Rayne was getting tired of staring at this bunch, watching them prepare for battle when she already knew the result. She didn't forget the little blond boy that must have been the sibling to the blond girl. The resemblance was that obvious. "Are you ready to die?" A smile curved across her pink lips.

"How many times have we've heard that one?" The blind one rolled his eyes.

"Don't you guys ever have something new to say? Or are all brain-washed!" The leader was charging right towards her enemy? Was she mad? But her speed picked up in instant. One minute she was 10 feet away than 1 inch, a fist connecting with her cheek bone.

Her body went more the distance than Rayne could calculate. With her mind, she conjures winds to catch her before she could fall. Spinning her body in an upright position, don't want to dirty herself. "Impressive, extreme speed?" One eyebrow shot up, "but now it's my turn."

A gust of wind whoosed through the flock separating them but they were took flight. No matter a whirlwind twisted from above, like a drill penetrating into the back of the leader. A eerie-scream was easily overridden as the wind carried over her voice. She could not escape as if a boulder upon her forcing her to the ground. Her and the whirlwind twisted deeper into the ground landing in a pit of debris.

"Max!" several voices yelled union. Rayne only laughed as she laid face down in the dirt.

"My, she is pathetic isn't she." She swung around to find several angry face. "Oh, what now? Gonna gang up on me?"

The dark one charged first, almost faster than the leader. But not fast enough, darkness swirled in his eyes, "my you are more attractive up close than afar." Rayne eyes glided over his body, but the dark one withdrew whatever was in his pocket. It glinted in the sun. "Oh and dangerous."

With a back flip, she kicked the blade out the boy's hands. "You'll have to do better than that." She twirled on her hands, spinning around till she jumped back into standing position. Something, a fireball was coming right for her. She snapped her fingers, "what are aiming at boy?" The flame fell to her feet. So the blind boy wasn't so useless.

Something blond and white stepped in front of her. She was so small that it wasn't even noticeable, "stop." She held her hands out, "drop to your knees." It sounded silly coming from a child; a command?

But nothing happened, "what are doing, little brat." A gust whipped her off her feet sending her flying into the dark one's arms.

The little girl began to sniffle, "it didn't work?" Was she really that surprised or stupid."I'm not stupid." Her little fists were balled up in fury, "I'm not."

Another dark girl with the dark skin was attacking from above, driving towards the earth like a rocket. She missed, tripping over herself or Rayne made her trip by letting a little air pocket escape from underneath the girls wing. She took a nose dive for the earth, like her leader. "You're all pathetic."

She smiled, that devilish grin. "And when I said if you were ready to die. I meant it." Several tornados descended from the sky like ugly black thumbs drilling deeper in the earth. She watched with glee as the flock twirled around and around in her entrapment. Becoming separated from another, she couldn't wait to play with them one by one.

Now which one? She tapped her chin watching each them fly in different directions. Disregarding the leader, she grabbed a handful of her hair, revealing a dirt-caked face. "I shall enjoy this lil birdy." With the wind whipping around them, she let Max lay their sprawled on the dirt as she went for her first toy.


	2. Chapter 2

Clouds were gathering in the distance, as she danced with her wind, tornados swirled by her body acting as shield. With each step she took a gale of wind smashed into the ground, slammed into a tree uplifting roots, peeling bark back from the tree as if it was as fragile as glass. As if it was it was just as soft as sheep's wool…it was all too easy. Her wind was simple.

The wind howled whipping her hair across her face where storm clouds bellowed in the sky, grey and black fluff rolled overhead bringing flashes of light. Soothing wind whispered through her fingers, under her arms, and through her hair lifting her higher where her wind were fiercer at a greater altitude.

It served as an excellent lookout. Here, above the trees some fallen she could see everything. And it was here she saw her first victim. With a mild disappointment she descended to the ground with a twister at her side.

She didn't care that her face was dirt-caked, hair-matted, or even the fact her jeans were soaking wet. The rain poured heavily when she awoken, washing away some of the dirt and soil. She did care that she was separated from her family, from her flock. In fact she was furious, enraged, rain almost sizzled as it contacted her skin.

How dare she? That girl separating her from everyone! Coming in like that, swooping in, and brining terror to her family. And worst of all made her, Maximum Ride look like a joke. She was the best at what she did; protecting her flock, taking care of them, saving them in the clutch.

Well, now she would show her. This whatever she was, this new enemy. Max hugged her elbows as the rain turned a frigid cold feeling. She was too mad to feel it, she's been through worse conditions and somehow her body's adapted to it. She's gotten used to the cold, to the extreme heats, and torrential downpours.

She moved her hand across her forehead moving her hair with it, the lightning flash. Knowing that it would be too dangerous to take flight in this kind weather, she scanned the sky. She used something before? The girl. Some kind of feeling that out-tricked all of them.

A whirlwind of some sort was that her power? Max smiled knowing the weakness to the wind girl.

The dark-skinned was the first to be spotted. Not much of fight, not even a challenge. Her lips puckered out feigning poutiness but inside was smiling. Smiling that wicked grin like the Cheshire cat, and like a cat she enjoyed toying with her prey. Watching them helplessly try to escape her winds. How could they? Wind was all around them and it could crush them into mere fine fragments. But this one, she would play with for a little awhile, unfortunately this one wouldn't take long to take down.

She knew so, her charts revealed that this one's only skill was flight, excellent fight skills, acute senses nothing more. Those wouldn't be enough to withstand her gales, her winds, her twisters.

The little female was clutching her wing, examining it looking at the damage. Somehow she managed to slice through the bone, Rayne smiled; this would be easier than she thought. The girl was too concerned with her wound to notice Rayne's descent. "You should pay attention!" A gust swept through the area sending the girl flying, she backed slammed into a tree.

To Rayne's amusement the girl was getting up, staggering but slowly getting to her feet. "It would be best if you stayed down, that way I wouldn't have to be coming at you." Again, a gust of wind socked her into the stomach.

Nudge coughed, opening her eyes wide in pure pain. She grasped the tree acting as support to help her stand, and then she glared. Glared with cold, dark, brown eyes, "I don't lay down for anyone." Blood trickled down her lip.

"Well, you should." Rayne raised an eyebrow, "Of course, if you did it wouldn't be as much fun." Another gust of wind slammed into the dark-skinned girl this time cracking the tree from behind her as she went through it. She didn't go far, Rayne made sure of it. Leisurely, she approached the girl who lay in a patch of torn branches, some of their bark stripped. Stripped so much they looked like spears.

The body did not stir. Rayne sighed, "your hardly worth fighting, no skills, nothing. What a waste." She turned letting the wind seep through her body, lifting her higher.

"I'm not done." The voice came from behind and when Rayne turned she saw a punch flying for her face. Her eyebrows creased sending the little brat flying. She rolled twice before coming at a stop at the base of a tree.

"Tsk, Tsk not a wise move." She edged closer but kept her distance. "You see not many people get a chance to touch me-"

"Max did." Rayne's nostrils flared this time summoning storm clouds and hurricane winds. The howled around her creating twisters miles wide.

"Yes, and that will never happen again!" Another wave of windswept forth, but something happened the wind died down. Her twisters dissipating. "What? What's happening? You!" She glared at the dark-skinned girl. "You did this."

Nudge looked around confused by the sudden change in weather, she shrugged. How could she do this? She had no extra skills unless…

"Stop this madness, Rayne." Omega appeared out of thin air, floating several feet of the ground. His feet were barefoot wearing a neat, alabaster white t-shirt and faded blue jeans. Everything about him was flawless…and lethal. "Finish the job, enough with the games."

"You promised!" Rayne spat.

"No more games." And he faded. Rayne despised the mutant. He was everything and anything he wanted to be, even commanding her. Controlling her, she didn't like control, control of her, control of her winds. She was free; at least she wanted to be free. Free like her winds, but she wasn't. And she never will be.

When she turned to face her 'toy' she watched as it staggered away, clutching its shoulder. She had endurance, she'll give her that much. But nothing more and it was time to end this sadly.

She let the winds engulf her taking her in front of the girl. The twister vanished and it was just Rayne and her, inches from each other. "It's sad, if you had more credibility you might have lived longer."

"Stuff it!" Nudge slowly moved her feet into position.

"Goodbye." The winds were howling again slamming into trees, ruffling the leaves that sounded like a raging waterfall colliding with stones. And the wind diverted? Separated slamming into a wall of concrete, going separate ways. "What's this?"

A wall somehow formed itself in front of the girl. It was as hard as concrete and just as thick but it wasn't concrete. It was some other material. Blocking her wind? "What? Where did this come from?"

Nudge smiled proud that she could do it. She could attract metal that much she knew, but she didn't realize she could separate the metal and minerals in the earth and form into something like this.

Rayne was frustrated, furious. "No!" She called on gales and whirlwinds but soon Nudge had four walls around her. The whirlwinds continued drilling into her wall. But it gave no leave, no give away the girl was perfectly safe. "Fine, you breathe air right?"

At first Nudge was confused by this question, of course she did why-

It was like drowning, she was running out of air to breathe and somehow she couldn't to get to the surface. Her lungs were crying in pain, her chest her hurt but already she was seeing dots. And she never knew if she sunk to the bottom or rose to the water's surface.

She knew the girl had fainted long before Rayne left. Omega would deal with the pick up. But that's not what was bothering her. They failed to inform her of this 'flocks' power and thus she miscalculated. If she knew that these little monsters at any powers she would have taken them seriously.

But now she wasn't so sure.

It was weird.

At first, it was like a big storm was smashing against the land than nothing. He could feel the sun on his back, warming his shoulders, birds chirping but seconds ago he could have sworn he heard thunder booming and echoing over head.

This was one of many, many cons of being blind. He didn't know what the heck was going on. Didn't know much for that matter, but he could rely on his other sense. Touch and feel the bark on his hands, letting him identify where he was. But some of the land was stripped; the bark was ripped right off feeling smooth as wood.

It baffled him, what was going on? He had to get to his other family, under their situation. Were they hurt? Or dead? Iggy immediately shook that thought from his head. That can't be and he wouldn't dare believe it.

But before that girl, with that power…even without his eyes he could give an educated guess the terror she inflicted. When he flew through the air, he knew he could have died right there. Only he managed to use his wings as like a parachute. It hurt of course, but it was better than getting tangled into a tree.

Or worse smashing into one.

He landed perfectly as always. On his feet, upright tall and erected as usual. It wasn't before he realized he was alone. Calling out his flock members names one by one, stupidly to thin air, then he realized they wouldn't be responding back to him. He was alone, separated from them and yet wasn't he always like that with them.

Not physically, but mentally. They didn't understand the burden of course not. How could they? They weren't handicapped. But he just shook his head and let a laugh escape his lips. One of the many ways to relieve the burden, the stress. But yes, he's always been a little different from the flock. Using different means, to see. Using different techniques to fight, using different ways to live his life style.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and began whistling softly. Of course, although he was alone he was never truly alone.

"Such a lovely songbird." His whistling ceased turning to the direction to where he thought he heard the voice. Rayne hopped down from the tree, landing gracefully on one foot. "No don't stop, keep going." She said sarcastically.

She stepped to the right, "not much for conversation are you?" Already Iggy could feel the wind pick up. His skin was getting goose bumps.

"Well you'll sing soon. I wanna hear you songs of screams". Wind raced forth, charging like a stampede of horse. "Sing for me!" She laughed, as wind danced around the blind one.

He rolled out of the way, doing a turn and then spread his wings in the air to take flight. A rushing sound, a train almost was coming from overhead, he rolled into mid-air again dodging the whirlwind.

"You have amazing combative skills." Iggy raised eyebrow, it's so rarely to receive a complement from a foe, "to bad your pathetic." Another rush of wind came from his side. He nose-dived towards the earth. "Very good. But see if you can dodge this." Wind was coming from all sides as he plummeted towards the earth; from above, from below, from right, left. He had nowhere to run.

Rayne smiled, she had won against this blind, pathetic mutant. She couldn't wait to see his end. He's worse off than the dark-skinned child, Nudge. His blindness the cause, she watched him helplessly try to escape watched him calculate when she only saw black. She frowned; someone must be playing a trick on her.

Omega probably, but she couldn't hear either couldn't hear her winds, couldn't see them, she tried to speak but couldn't find her voice.. In fact she couldn't feel anything…

Iggy was ready to hit them head on, he knew he couldn't escape so he braced himself. Went away, resided inside himself, so that he could feel or hear anything. Just wade it out, see what happens. That's all he had left. Till the winds died down, they disappeared; he moved his wings slightly to land perfectly on the ground. Did he win?

Did they leave him? Seems unlikely, he stepped forward reaching for something anything to where he last heard the girl's voice. Another step and he felt skin. He jerked away, but he noticed that no movement came from the enemy. Again, he reached forward feeling her, feeling her arms, her bare shoulders, her face. "Is this some kind of joke?" Again he reached out and touched her forehead.

Nothing. She wasn't moving. He didn't understand it but he figured it was now or never. He brought his fist back ready to aim for her arrogant face, when someone stopped him. "Amazing." The person whispered, and then Iggy was flown backwards.

It was like a light has shown through the dark tunnel, like a blanket has been lifted.. Rayne could see, could feel, could hear and she was never more happy. Till she saw Omega standing in her face, "Must I repeat myself, Rayne." Rayne took a shuddering step back, she didn't know where the blind boy went or what he did to her. But Omega wrath was much worse. "You get no more chances." He stared hard with cold, blue eyes like ice. And like before disappeared.

She got out of there, leave the blind boy to his fate. Despite him, he was the one that Rayne feared most of all. To unable to predict, to calculate your own death was frieghtning.

**Enjoy it was longer than the first chapter, but I got one review which is always awesome. Reviews are my writng juice so please keep at'em and Thank you:D**


	3. Chapter 3

"So you failed?" He sat lazily with his legs spread out on a chair as hard and cold as he was. One finger lingered on his philtrim as if he had an itch. His eyes stared at her through lidded lashes seeming to already know of her downfall. Bored with yesterday's news and irritated at this one's failure.

The air around Rayne howled with an intense velocity, breaking the door the down to Omega's room. Her eyes filled with a tempest twister, gale-force winds, and dust storms. Although, she never hated Omega she never hated him so much till now. He was a mutant like her. But unlike her, he was a pet, a fave among the white coats. And why shouldn't he be, he was after all all of their favorite? But what bugged her the most was that he had authority of her. Of course, the white courts did too, but to take orders from another mutant felt like she was slave to everyone.

"You lied!" She screamed like the wicked gales of a Northwester. "You never told me about the flock's powers?" She waved her hands around her, watching as winds currents crept through and around her body.

With a grunt, Omega pushed himself of the chair. "On the contrary, I informed you of the many skills the flocks possesses. Max's turbo speed, Fang's camouflage, Nudge's-"

"Yes!" The wind was increasing shattering the light bulb on the boy's desk. "But you didn't inform of their other powers. That blind kid…" she shivered but the wind never died down.

"Ah yes." He rubbed his chin in mock fascination. "I wondered when their mutant powers would develop. It was only a matter of time." His eyes were fixated on the rectangular-florescent lights above them.

"Then, you admit you deceived me?" Her body went into a fight mode her fist brought to her chest her legs squatted and feet far apart. "You knew?"

"The fact that you survived means they couldn't have been that formidable." The grin on his face was mischievously like a kid knowing he did something against his parents' wishes and got away with it.

The wind in the building and outside shook the ground around them. "You bastard, I was just a test?" Her nostrils flared in anger, her hair flying above her head, and her eyes wide. But before she summoned a hurricane on the boy, something stopped her.

She fell to the ground choking, clutching her chest and throat for air. Her entire body felt like it was being smothered. Squeezed by an unknown snake, her eyes bulged out from her eye sockets and she swore she heard her ribs crack.

Omega's hand was outreaching one finger pointed at her chest, till he balled his hand into fist. A gurgle rose from Rayne's throat. "We are all test. Remember Rayne. I hold your life in my hands. It would only take a second to end it." He squeezed his hand again, "Do not defy me again."

His hand went limp at his watching as Rayne collapsed on the ground gasping for air. Salvia dribbled from her mouth to the floor as she lay their panting. Omega stepped over her like she wasn't even there. As he rounded the corner he spotted the director fixated on the boy's eyes.

Something came from his pocket, something white. There was a soft a click followed by a smoke rising from his fingertips. He motioned for the boy to come towards him with his index finger. In flash, Omega was by his side. "Mr. Hart." He said as if he was a sergeant to a military army.

"My boy." He took a deep drag letting the smoke bellow from his noise. "Careful with that one." He didn't bother a second glance at Rayne. "She's valuable not like Maximum but still has some use in her." Omega only nodded shoulders straight. Mr. Hart eyes drifted to the boys face before he snatched his chin in his grasp. The boy didn't even flinch, "you may have her life, but I have yours." With a pat to the cheek the man departed down the long white hall.

* * *

It took Max only an hour to find the others. Their eyes all carried the same kind of pissed-off attitude that she felt. Only thing worse than her face throbbing like hell was seeing her flock battered and messing, some looked triumphant. "What are you guys smiling at?" Nudge had dirt on her fingertips and under her nails. Could this really be Nudge? Clean, preppy, hygienic Nudge?

And Iggy was touching Nudge's belt loop looking around, following the path of fluttering butterfly. No way, could he see could that? Nudge was the first to speak as in speak she was going to fit as many words into one second. Some words toppling over one another, colliding with one another almost sounding like one word when they should be two. "Oh my god Max I was fighting that girl against her those winds that she summoned. How she do that? I mean did you see what she made? I twister! A huge maybe five, ten, fifteen mile wide twister, who can seriously do that?"

"The point Nudge." Max glared hard at Nudge, her voice much harder than steel. With a cough Nudge continued, "Max it was so cool it was like making my own building! It was like some super-uber shield."

Fang and Max exchanged a look. While Fang looked unharmed Max looked like she went through grinder and got spit out. He offered her one of those lopsided grins. Max only scowled in response, Fang was taking advantage of every moment of this. "Ooooh, I'll just show you." She lifted her hands in the air and in its wake a metal slab rose from the earth.

"Holy [insert swear word of your choice here]" Max's mouth hung open, when did this happen. _Greater things are a head Maximum. _"Shut up!"

Slowly Nudge eased the metal square back into the ground, mumbling a 'sorry'. "Not you Nudge." Max let out a sigh this day couldn't get any weirder, she rubbed her forehead in annoyance.

"Isn't that awesome Max? I can do some much with my metal attractor." She waved her hands again watching as needles sprouted from the earth and into her hands. She held them between her fingertips before she threw them into the nearby tree. Each landing on top of each other with perfect aim and accuracy.

With a sigh Max tried to put on a enthusiastic smiled, "Yes that's awesome Nudge." She held out her hand in a thumbs-up sign.

"Wow, how'cha do that?" Gazzy was staring at Nudges hands listening instantly as she told him her secret. Then he attempted to it when his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I can't do it."

Max ruffled his cow-licked hair. "Maybe you can do something else?" Gassy beamed up at Max his face smiling wide. He closed his eyes concentrating on his inner power when something came out the other end. Instantly everyone scooted away, "Gazzy! I didn't mean that!" Her hand was squeezing the end of her nostrils with her fingertips.

A silent chuckled escaped Fang's mouth as he tried to cover his mouth and not breathe the horrible stench. Angel was burying her face in Totals fur hoping to mask the scent. While Nudge built a four wall room, plus a roof hoping the stench wouldn't seep its way through the cracks. "It not working!" she wailed.

"Hey you know my senses are ten-times heighten?" Iggy slapped Gassy's hand anyway.

Everyone roared laughter while Iggy continued to snicker softly a little ways from the group. He thought of telling them of his new found power but it wasn't really anything worthwhile like Nudge's. He would tell them when the time was right.

* * *

She dragged herself into the wreck room all of the other mutants have gathered to get some R and R time. By wreck room everything was either wrecked or shredded. Only few mutants dwelled on her, the Erasers mostly and of course herself. Max II was usually flirting with Omega. Of course Omega didn't bat an eye instead he looked directly at Rayne and snorted in disgust.

With her head bent down she's sure everyone's heard the news by now that the wind wasn't as free as she wanted to be. She could hear the others grumbling on the far side of the table. The wind carries sounds easily to Rayne's ears. And already she could hear them moving towards her. Heavy footsteps and low growls were stalking her like prey. She flopped down on the couch pretending not to heed them. When a claw dug in her shoulder, "Hey Ray." It was Dred.

He was one of the few Erasers with a brain, of course that didn't mean much. He was also the strongest next to Ari but boy expired long ago. Now this burly dog took his place with prominent veins and triceps he was clearly the leader. His hair was cut short, dark, rusty brown and yellow-lemon eyes. She rested her head on the palm of her hand. "Mutt?" A low growled escaped Dred's throat.

"Hear, you got put down by the white guy." He pretended to rub his chin mimicking the scene, "not as free as you think, aye birdie?" His claws dug deep drawing blood. In response, a gust blew the dog backwards slamming into the wall. Something cracked but he'll live. With a growl the boy with once a human exterior transformed charging for her on all fours. His little pack followed pursuit, Ilia and Siegs with a storm of claws and fangs but with ease Rayne blew them away without even moving her hands.

She stood turning around with eyes closed, "wolf boy." She pointed a finger at Dred, "do not mock my freedom compared yours." A twister wrapped itself around her and transferring her to Dred's face and fangs possessing no fear. "Got it dog-boy?" She petted his snout; he growled baring teeth ready snap at her. She was going to dodge easily once more but out of the corner of her eyes something flashed.

Whiteness and a blur flew by before she knew what happened her chest constricted and the fangs and claws were upon her.

* * *

"Max." Max took the first shift of tonight despite her wounds. And she wasn't going to let these wound's weaken her. Fang protested at first but went to sleep eventually. Angel was tugging her arm, "Max, I can't sleep." She laid her head on her lap, while Max brushed her hair with her fingertips. "Can you tell me a story?" Max pierced her lips, she wasn't good at his. Jeb was the one for storytelling. "It's ok." Angel yawned, "You don't have to."

It was silent for a moment while they sat and gazed at the shimmering flames. "Max?" Hushed as the crackling firelight, Angel turned her big blue eyes towards her leader and older sister. "You should get some sleep." Noting Max's ever-darkening black eyes.

With a shrug, Max craned her neck to the right, "I'm alright." She hummed quietly to herself till Angel's soft breathing filled her ears. As she stroked Angel's soft head she gazed around her family. Fang was lying on his back like a cold, pale statue with his head turned to the crook of his arm. Iggy was sprawled arms and ankles wide, his one left foot twitching. Nudge was in a small ball sucking her thumb. Gazzy's feet were by his chest and his arms behind his back, as he tried sleep in the form of pretzel. They were safe but for how much longer? And the school was growing in power. Newer and stronger mutants were flooding out of that place. And what of them?

They were changing but for better or worse? She glanced at Nudge the only one with her new found power. This one was dangerous but could provide a great offense and defense. She sighed, picked up a stick and nudged the fire pit. Spark flew to the sky like fireflies.

Gently she eased Angels head from her lap in search of more fodder for their fire. When she returned she neatly stacked logs into a teepee formation and watched as the fire licked its food and grew into a tremendous blaze. Her senses were on all high alerts but not even a twig cracked in this dense forest.

She went to brush a stray strand of hair from her face when noticed claws elongating from her fingertips. She gasped and watched her hands trembled. She quickly dashed to the nearby stream letting her hands soak in the cool water, hoping the water dispel this transformation somehow. With a gulp she peered at her reflection in the moonlight. Two green eyes stared back at her, pointed Eraser ears were perked and her teeth were not teeth at all but bared lethal fangs.

She back away in horror landing hard on her bottom bring a shaking hand to her face. It felt whole the same but inside something was speaking to her in growl. _I could make you stronger Max. Strong enough to rid of the schools intuitions, all of them, forever. _She looked around, expected an Eraser to lunge for her. But there was no one. It was just her in this lonely forest.

Voice? Her mind asked timidly. Could the voice be tricking her? This never happened before. The voice never did anything like this either

_I'm over here. No over here. Closer, your warmer now look at yourself. Down! _Max's face was all over looking into the night sky, the trees, the shrubs, even the dens underneath the roots of trees. Only now did she realize where the voice was coming from. She looked down at her own reflection and watched as the Eraser shimmered into a image of her faced and watched with horror as it barked in laughter. _We are not so different Maximum Ride. _A tongue lapped out licking its faces.

She's let out a small squeak when she felt two hands land on her shoulders.

* * *

She snickered, "another test?" She had new outfit and new skin. Her wounds healed from the previous Eraser brawl. It was warning, not to disobey or maybe it was just plain cruelty. She wore skinny blue jeans and black haltered top, her feet were bare. "Just like before," she seethed.

Omega only nodded in his chair, "do not fail me, Rayne." He held his hand in a fist but no pain came from Rayne's body. He loved watching her flinch at the slightest gesture. "No go." He let his hand and fist uncurl, his eyes white as snow and just as cold. "And this time bring something back."

**Whoo cliffy on both sides. Hope you enjoy and R&R please and thank you :D**


	4. Chapter 4

In a quick motion Fang did a side step to avoid Max's backhand fist. He raised his hands in a defensive motion, in a whoa-Nelly movement as her fist aimed again for his opened hands. With ease he blocked each one, "it's my shift." No one made a sound, only the panting from Max's chest and Fang's silent breathing was distinguished in the dark, hush night. His face gave no hint of her sudden outburst from before, her scream but Max could read his face. He was slightly curious but mostly moreover worried, his jaw was tense.

"Your shift for what?" She hissed in his face, her nose already touching his. Her teeth were bare and shinning, gleaming white and perfect in the moonlight. Her brown eyes only burned into his like a flamethrower, he blinked once before he felt them get moist. He reached forward with a tentative finger, stroking her pale-scared face.

He leaned close before Max jumped back. "Stop it." He chuckled loving the way her nose snorted and wrinkled in disgust or anger or when she was just plain irritated. And right not he was irritating her. He just said three words and already she was being defensive. Although his chuckle seemed to only enhance her fury as she balled her fists, "why are you laughing?"

With a shake of his head he gave her a crooked smile, a flop of his dark, silk hair feel over one of his right eyes. "Nothing, Max. It's my turn to take watch." Even if it was unknown to Fang's knowledge, Max immediately calmed after seeing his smile in the moonlight. Realization dawned her, he wasn't accusing her of anything, he didn't see her monstrous and horrendous reflection in the water. He didn't know and she could breathe once more.

"What we're doing out here anyway?" He shifted uneasily wondering if an enemy was on them, feeling the trees closing around him, but he knew he could take flight at any moment he desired.

Sweat beaded her forehead as she wiped it away with the back of her hand, "I thought I heard something." Her eyes flashed to his, "false alarm." She charged passed him bumping her shoulder against his. When a firm, olive wrist caught her arm.

"You okay?" Max flinched, her entire body jumping a few inches off the ground. She dared to turn and confront that face once again. She didn't like lying to him but she didn't like discussing it either. The Eraser faces happened once before awhile back in book 2. Maybe you remember it? Maybe you don't, regardless she would have Fang deal with it if something ever happened. Now that it was backed she wanted it erased from her and her past. And the truth was she was scared. And fear was weakness and she didn't discuss weakness to anyone, not even Fang.

Not brave, fearless Max. She was the leader leader's don't act that way. _Fears only make you stronger, Maximum_. Max pretended she didn't hear that. Ignoring the voice, "yeah, I'm fine."She wretched her hand away from his grasps and reclaimed her spot next to Angel.

It was like nothing disturbed this place. Everything was as she left it, she took a quick peek at her hands. They were normal…well bird-kid normal. Half-bitten nails, dirtied fingers, were all she saw. Nothing Eraser-fied about it, not six inch claws or haired paws, she sighed with relief.

She laid her head down and waited to hear Fang's quiet footsteps brushing against the grass as he made his spot to a tree branch. There was a _swoosh_ when he landed in the tree then nothing as if he sound wasn't a possibility for him. The fire was still crackling softly and she let the warmth lull her to sleep but she wouldn't get any real sleep tonight.

Fang watched as Max closed her eyes within minutes. When she bore her teeth at him he could of swore he saw her eyes dilated to an elliptical and shine a strange yellow. And her teeth were razor sharp but maybe that was a trick in the moonlight. But when he looked at his hands he saw the scratch marks. Marks that didn't belong to fingernails especially Max's bitten ones they weren't deep but disguisable. The curve of the scratch and the width was similar to the one Ari inflicted on him so long ago.

His eyes glazed over the flock and then rested back onto Max's sleeping form, her face was twisted into that of a snarl.

It was still night and Rayne knew the flock was close by. Her flight to and fro to the school wasn't that long maybe less than hour at best. And she didn't feel like fighting not after the brawl and Omega's punishment, she shivered at the thought. So instead she flew as far as she could even farther away from the flock than she was supposed to. If Omega had something to say about it she would have felt it, literally. A hand automatically went to her chest almost feeling the panged from before.

Others were advised to accompany her on this mission but she dismissed it. She didn't want anyone working with her, they always held her back and always had their two-cents to inform Omega. And usually she would be the one to take the consequence. Despite her words, someone did accompany her and she didn't want anything to do with him even if he was feigning-compassion. He couldn't fly of course, but he could run and right now he was running the forest.

His scent following wherever Rayne led him he looked and watched her figure shown in the moonlight, his eyes stared in awe. Elegantly she would spin, dip and dive then ascend again. He let out a low whine when she disappeared from sight. His ears perked catching the slightest wind-slice or the swoops from her winds. Again, he whined when he felt a gentle hand danced between his ears. "I wouldn't leave you Sammy," Sam gave a yelp of joy and licked her face. She quickly swats his snout, "don't, we're not friends only allies."

The Eraser Sam began to transform right in front of her. Standing perfectly naked in front of her but she wasn't easily tempted by lust. Her eyes were up at the sky staring at the alabaster moon. "You could smile more." He winked although Rayne didn't catch it. "It's beautiful." His breathe musty and he was standing too close for proximity. If Omega was dead, Sam would be the next beautiful mutant except for the dark, one Fang.

A smile spread across her lips, "There you go." Sam barked. Before it formed it was gone, all smile gone. "There close aren't they?" The wind was blowing and Sam could already smell the sweat of Maximum Ride.

Both their heads were turn towards the same direction catching their scent in instant. "Yes." Already Sam was charging west south-west, forty degrees. His from on all fours and his lips pulled back from his teeth. "Wait!" Rayne propelled herself with wind speed of seventy miles per hours and put herself in from Sam's Eraser form. She caught him levitating him in his tracks as he trashed to move his excited body. After a moment, his body slumped looking at her with questioning eyes.

Her hands were still out stretched in front of him watching as he rose and fell in the air, "not yet." She looked over her shoulder hoping the flocks haven't heard her. "Wait till daylight then we strike."

Slowly she set Sam down, his ears flat against his hand, "You're not going soft now are you?" A low-mocking growl rattled in his throat. He cocked his head to the side and let his tongue flop out.

In response a howling wind smashed into the trees, "of course not. Screw those bird-freaks." Her feet were several inches of the ground her hair whipping against her face.

"You're cute when you're like that." A side-long glance flashed her way resulting in warmth to creep along her neck and cheek, "hmm that hue of red is even cuter."

"Shut up, you mutt!" She shook her fist slowly letting herself touch the ground, as she did so. She lashed out in fury when she felt to claws bite deep into her shoulder. His face suddenly close to her's. She was shocked to be found in this position, not by the sudden pounce. "What are you doing-"

"Shh!" He was almost lying on her as he crouched down even lower. "Something coming."

Lying perfectly still she tried to summon a wind enhancing sound affect and sure enough the flap of wings hissed through the trees. As a dark figure flapped through the forest, it was him! The dark one from before, Rayne saw the hair on Sam's neck rise. A low growl resonates from his throat. "Not yet." She whispered, Sam gave her a look saying why-not-this-is-what-we-are-suppose-to-do. She only shook her head bringing a finger to her lips. She mouthed, 'daybreak'. And they both waited to Fang were out of earshot to move.

The warmth from Sam's body could still be felt on skin she kept casting him a glance but he kept his post. Rising his snout every so second. He was clearly not satisfied with taking orders. "Why didn't we go after him? It was a perfect chance to nab him." He growled, "He was separated." Although Rayne never seen him so angry before she didn't rise to the bait.

"Why?" With a cocky grin she disappeared into a twister and appeared in his face, "why my darling?" She let one finger glide under his chin. "Because that wouldn't be any fun."

The muscles underneath his silver-grey coat shook, "What!" He howled in raged all compassionate and sardonic gone, "this isn't fun, this is work!" His jaws snapped out but were quickly closed as a small whirlwind snapped it shut.

"I do as I please, Sammy. And no one not even you tell me what to do. I' am free" She murmured with a purr. Light was breaking from the horizon she snapped her fingers letting the wind dispel, his jaw free. "Soon we will go."

Sam snorted shaking his muzzle, "except Omega," he muttered. Rayne turned so quickly that even a twister couldn't reach such speeds compared to hers.

"What!" she spat slamming the wolf into a tree. She heard a sickening crunch and turned watching his limp body fall in a heap. "That's what I thought you said." She held her hands behind her back waiting till the great ball of light made its way into the pools of orange and purple in the sky. Soon a shadow descended above her into the shape of giant, muscular, figure. She only turned around to have a paw around her face, pinching her cheeks.

"We're all changing Rayne." Her body continued rising from the ground, "all of us. Our bodies, our DNA, our strength, even stranger things than the whitecoats could ever comprehend are happening to us. Me? I don't know. You?" He shook his head, and dropped her into heap. Watching the stun face on her expression, "Let's go. It's past daybreak."

She watched as he stood on his hind legs, tall and muscular. The back of his spine was moving, correcting the broken bones, reconnecting itself. His body was like its own medical room. Bone cells multiple and reformed to their original forms. Sam could heal himself even from fatal wounds.

With a steady jog she strode to his side keeping pace. His legs were longer than hers, his pace faster. Lips were pressed into a thin line a question bubbling inside her. Her eyes drifted to his spine again, it wasn't moving meaning it was done healing the body's injury and damage. Then, her eyes shot back to his face again. His eyes were locked on her face before she broke the stare first. He knew something and she intended to find out. _We were changing, but how?_ We were made as we were no add-ins. Once you were test-tube or whatever, whatever they put in before birth was the end of mutation process. There wasn't any hidden power to be unleashed, nothing deep within these cells, this DNA.

What you see is what you get. This was it and whatever the white coats put in your…Rayne froze staring at the marks on her arm. They continued to inject her and Sammy with something was that cause? Were they causing her DNA to divide and mutate? No, the flock didn't have anything injected in them for years thanks to that white coat, Jebidiah. So why would they mutate now?

She again, stared at ahead. She knew which bird-kid she wanted to snag in order to find the answer to her question.

The drumming of the keyboards beneath Omega's fingertips was the only sound that reverberated against the white walls of the corridors of his room. He clicked and tapped as he tried to tap into the Schools surveillances. Breaking every fire wall, virus blocker, and even every rule on School grounds; he knew Mr. Hart would have his heart if he ever found. That's why he had his trustee CPU at his side, which hummed quietly by his calf.

Almost there he had one wall to break before he had access. Well aware that the flock was not far from the vicinity thus meaning hidden cameras were lodged into every rock, every stone, and yes even some animals with miniature cameras to observe anything that moved less than thirty-five miles away from here.

A slow, cat-grin spread across his lips when the green monitor flashed revealing the face of his little toy and the pathetic mutt that was supervising her. Samuel, Sam or something was his name next to Mr. Hart and few other whitecoats, Omega disgusted this one the most.

He failed when he suppose to court Max (when they were with Anne Walker and took the great Maximum on date), but that didn't matter now. What mattered now was getting this mutant freaks back where they belong. Here, serving the School, the Whitecoats, and even Itex. They were created by them and thus designed to obey. Involuntarily he rubbed the back of his neck half-expecting to feel the black numbers there.

With a shuddered, he resumed typing ignoring the nagging thought at the back of his head. The whitecoats had a way of keeping their creations under a tight leash.

Maximum with her chip, Iggy with the lack of his sight all of them were made sure that the School would never fade from their memories. They were part of them all of them.

When he was on another window on his computer screen a shadow fell over his desk. He froze revealing no sign of guilt or fear, he knew who it was before he turned. Her scent was just a flowery as cactus. "What are you doing?" The screen flashed off as he turned around meeting Max II glare.

"The question is what are you doing?" She asked accusingly. Her hands were on her hips and her nose up high. She thought she was great because she was a clone of the great maximum ride. But she was just a copy nothing more.

In one quick motion he was by the door one hand on the frame in a second, "none of your business." He held the door open for her motioning her to leave.

However, as she took on step outside she ran into a white object. "Mr. Hart." She stood up straight but her eyes never met his. Her body was quivering till it was stopped by two hands locking around her throat. She gasped as she was tossed aside like garbage.

With a leveled glare that sent Max II crawling down the hall and around the corner. His eyes were once more on Omega, "you've been very deceptive, Omega." Another drag was taken from his long, white cigarette. "It is my business to know everyone's business." He flicked the ash on the boy's chest watching it as it burned.

No lies could ever get past Cole Hart, he was just too hard to deceive. He knew everything as if he was God or Satan himself. And he knew lying to one of the General Whitecoats were dire results. "I was hacking into our system."

Cole only nodded expecting as much, "and what did you find?"

"The whereabouts of Rayne and Sam, sir." He stood straighter, balling his fist. "Forgive me."

"Is that all?" It was obvious that Cole wasn't impressed; he figured the boy found something else. But all he did was tap into our surveillance. When Omega nodded Cole only sneered in disgust, "do you think we do not know where they are?" Before he allowed the boy to answer, he slapped him across the face, drawing blood on the inside of his cheek. "Get out of my sight."

There was a low-growl roaring in her ears when her eyes snapped open. At first she thought it was coming from her own throat but when she opened her eyes, she was wrong. She found an Eraser dripping saliva down her cheek. In fury she lashed out with her legs only to have two claws snatch her feet. She dangled upside down for moment, screaming in fury. "Yes, squirm little bird-girl."

Fang was the first to dive for her when a gust slammed into his chest and into a nearby tree knocking the wind right out him. He slid down the tree in one heap a stunned expression imprinted on his face.

The others were unfolding their wings as Angel was the first to order them with her mind powers, "Drop her." Yet, nothing happened, again. "What happened?" she cried.

With as much force as Sam could muster he threw Max hard into Fang's body. Gassy and Iggy were tagged team withdrawing bombs and dynamite from their pockets. They threw them at the Eraser first only to have their attack diverted by a simple gust of wind. "You lot are so pathetic?" Rayne landed gracefully on two bare feet.

"And you really gotta find a new nickname for us." Iggy commented only to have a gust of wind throw his head back. In instant, Nudge was their blocking the oncoming wind assaults by putting up her walls.

With a sigh, "must I suffocate you again?" Nudge only gasped, thrusting her hands forward into a fist to have her metal take shape into fist charge right for her.

After a moment the bombs from Iggy and Gazzy went off, Sending debris and dirt pouring over the flock like a rainstorm, they covered their heads till Sam made his move. He picked Max up with his claws, "you're not as pretty as before, Max."

Max was still trying to gather her thoughts when she looked into the wolves eyes she recognized him immediately, "Sam, I should of known." She kicked and flailed, squirming out his hold. One back flip was all she needed to kick him in the jaw, his head snapped back and she dived for his chest. Wings wide propelling her warp drive into action and her hands spread like she ready to claw him.

Slowly Fang was getting up clutching his side, he half-ran half walked to aid Max when he saw the claws coming from her fingertips. All around him the battle was raging, Angel was trying to land a punch on the other mutant but she was just twisted, turned around and flung away. Iggy was searching for any bombs that could not be diverted but he only had light weight ones, likewise Gassy was looking from some kind of explosive but instead resulted to flying into the sky and dive-bombing the enemy.

Again and again Nudge was constructing metal buildings, fists, pure art conjure from her metal as she tried to pummel Rayne however it was weakening her. Those metal objects were too heavy thus difficult to counteract. It required more wind more stamina to repel heavier objects.

He was on his way to aid Max when he saw her swipe her claws across the Erasers chest; he let out a howl and then dug his claws around Max shoulders. Fang was on him pounding his fists into his skull till he saw blood ooze from the mutt's ears, but when looked back at his leader he saw the unmistakable fangs again on her teeth, protruding from her upper lip.

"Max!" he called out her name. Hopping down from the Erasers shoulders and trying to calm her down. She was screaming in blood fury slashing and digging her claws into the Erasers slushy mess of blood and guts. Fang knew he was dead before he had Max in his harm. She was thrashing around like a grizzly bear, growling and groaning. He turned her around so that he could look in the eye, "Max! Stop it! He's dead! He's dead!" Slowly, Max's features resumed to her human ones. Her pupils went back to being circle rather than mere slits. Her claws slid back underneath her fingernails and fangs slid somewhere under gums. "He's dead." Fang repeated.

Max took a step back her eyes first went to her hands to the bloodied mess at her feet. She shivered and when Fang reached out she backed away even further. She didn't want him, especially him to touch her or anyone else. She brought her hands up to her face in horror. _What have I done?_

With the shake of her head she looked around wondering how the others were faring when she saw Gazzy and Nudge and Angel running towards her. Till they slowed to walk, "Max" Gassy asked carefully, "what happened, what did-"

"Status report." It took a long minute for them to respond their eyes glued to the mess at Max's face. And Max couldn't turn around to stare into Fang's dark ones resorting to the younger ones. She didn't know whose eyes were worse Fangs or theirs?

Almost in unison Gassy, Nudge, and Angel said, "They took him." Max didn't have to ask who took them. She looked to the sky watching as the tornado disappeared over the horizon and somewhere in there Iggy was being taken. Again Gassy asked, "Max, you okay?"

She didn't even reply she spread her wings and flew after them.

"Quit squirming" Rayne had a hard time restraining the blind boy. She knew she should have knocked him out but Sam was dead. And she wasn't going to fight all six of them especially when they have new powers. This was the one closest to her anyway. And Omega wanted to bring him something back. And she did, she hoped it was enough.

"Let me go, you bitch." A punch came for her face but she blocked it. Her twister was able to carry her long distances and also restrain foes. If she dropped him he would die, she would push all the air on him into the ground if she desired, she already warned him once. She doubts he would attempt to flee again.

But his squirming was making it difficult to concentrate, without letting the wind touch her she sent pressurized wind upon the boys skin. Like knives his skin turned into ugly red smiles with welts that bleed like a stream. He heard him scream as one went across his eyes. The blood loss was making him weak, fatigued, exhausted and soon he was a limp figure in her arms.

She knew that he would more than likely bleed to death and thus she rushed even faster to the School. They would fix him up nicely then torture him, test him, do as they would best see fit. Maybe even play with his heart like Omega did to hers a small grin etched across her face. It was payback for what he did in the forest.

When she tossed the blind, pale mutant on the floor at Omega's feet she expected a thank you, instead she got an insult. Jeb was there of course, he always was and the other white coat Anne Walker. Rayne didn't know which one she hated most. Jeb clicked his teeth, while Anne only scowled. "Why this one?"

Rayne was stunned she thought she done an excellent job, did her job accurately except for the one casualty."Why did you bring this one back?" She lifted Iggy's shoulder with her high heels then let him fall back with thud. She sighed, stroking her hair behind her ears, "Get the chopper ready." She stared hard at Jeb who was still staring at Iggy's unmoving from.

"Jeb!" She yelled, watching the emotions spread across his face. "Get the chopper. This one brought company with her." Her trimmed and polished fingernail was pointed at Rayne, when she turned she heard her mutter, "stupid mutant." Slowly, Jeb gathered Iggy in his arms not caring whether his white coat was stained red. One hard glare at Rayne and he was following close on Anne's heels.

"Nice job" Omega grunted as Rayne gave him a questioning look. "You let one Eraser die (not that it mattered), brought back a half-dead mutant, and led them right to our base." He shook his head in expiration, "you're the one that is pathetic."

He slammed the door open into the outside watching as the flock made themselves known in the sky with the wind howling, a storm was gathering overhead acting as a cover-up so that Anne and Jeb could escape. Already hours prior the other residents; Erasers, Whitecoats, and what not have evacuated the area.

Omega was already in the air. How he knew to fly without wings was beyond knowledge, maybe he could defy gravity? Nonetheless Rayne joined him ready to strike back when Omega gave her cat-Cheshire grin, "let's take another, hm? Maybe one worth having in this organization." Then he held out his fist one directed at the flock members, "there", he whispered finding the one he wanted. Then he squeezed his knuckled watching as they fell along with the rain that poured over them.

**Woo long chapter, hope anybody, somebody likes it. Reviews are so amazing as the first three were :D Thank you all as for romance maybe a little FAX as for Rayne/Iggy again maybe moreover friendship but of course their be tons of angst, torture, pain, etc.**

**Again reviews are my writing juice. So flame, critique, write something please :D**


	5. Chapter 5

The rain relentlessly fell screening the helicopter from the flocks few. But the chopping of the blades could still be distinguished through the downpour. "Iggy's in there!" Angel pointed at the machine. "Iggy!" Max spread her wings ready to charge forth after the machine when a tugging sensation brought her back to her earth. It was such a strong intensity, like something was pinning her. Like a giant elephants foot was pushing on her back, smashing her body into the muddy ground.

She squirmed but he could barely lift a finger. Suddenly she felt a weight lift of her head but the rest of her body was just like hers. "Iggy!" Gassy cried watching the helicopter already disappearing through the storm. Every one of them was muddy, drenched, and flabbergasted. What was happening? Max locked her eyes on the one called Rayne. Her again, her eyes narrowed.

Rayne watched as Omega made the gravity intensified. She rolled her eyes never understanding why corporate never sent just him out. He was the finest, strongest, and most powerful of them all. With just one hand outstretch he could make the gravity in any area stronger or lighter depending on his mood. And right now the flock was powerful. If they wanted they could capture all of them here and now. But only one pet was required for this operation. Rayne saw the leader eyes narrow in her direction. She merely raised an eyebrow as she watched Max's eyes transform to a yellow hue.

Before she could register it Max disappeared. Rayne only had second to process the thought that maybe she escaped from Omega's power (which in its self was impossible). Then, a fist collided with her cheek drawing blood. Maybe it wasn't a fist at all. But something else, Rayne brought a hand to her cheek watching as the blood ran down her face mixed with rain. How did she do that? Rayne's widen a fraction when she felt the ground beneath her erupt, dirt and metal wrapped itself around her body squeezing her ribcage.

A loud clapping sound echoed to her right. As Omega slowly clapped his hands together as if he congratulating someone. He was grinning that Cheshire grin again. "Well, well. The great Maximum Ride." He curtsied. "I should be honored." Then, his face turned hard and serious. "Should we take you too?" It wasn't a question, not really. He really wanted to take her. Play with her, see what made her break free from him his grip. In short he was pissed. No one ever did what Maximum Ride just did to the elite Omega.

But the yellow in her eyes were dimming, her claws vanishing. Rayne was still gasping for air but of course Omega paid no mind. It wasn't like that mutant was anything special. The others were still pinned even without Omega concentrating he could still display unimaginable levels of power.

Gassy was looking up at an empty sky. The helicopter gone miles away from here and with it his partner in crime. A trickle of tears fell from his big blues eyes, he couldn't tell if he was crying or the rain was crying with him. Since, Angel was the smallest her face stayed buried in the mud, her beautiful blonde curl covered in grime. Fang was looking deadly at the one called Omega. His eyes dark, daunting eyes took every speck of this devilish mutant. He may look perfect but he was far from it. A vein was throbbing on the side of Fang's neck. To his right was Nudge even though she couldn't move she still had the power to thrust her metal at the two. Her cheek pressed into wet ground, matching her complexion almost. Although her face was turned away she had a pretty could idea where the enemy was. She squeezes her fist tightening the hold on Rayne.

When Omega heard something cracked it finally registered Rayne's situation. Her face was turning blue. In a swift motion he held is hand forcing out Max backwards and simultaneously breaking the metal around Rayne's body. She fell in heap clutching her neck and chest, glaring venomously at Omega. A horrible coughed hacked through her body. "But sadly, you were not chosen."

Omega spoke to the Max that was being pinned against the ground. Her arms and legs spread, she managed a word. "Chosen?" But the perfect mutant only cast a repulsive look at the one at the ground and at his alley. "Quit playing around Rayne, lets go." She never understood how he did it but Omega managed to disappear within seconds before Rayne could gather herself off the ground in pursuit of him. It took an hour or so before the pressuring on them was lifted. There raptor eyes giving no sign of the enemy,

The horrible growling in his ears was the first thing to startle him awake. The second was the smell. It wasn't antiseptic like most School labs, closer to the scent of chlorine. A dreading feeling rose from his stomach, to his heart, and into his throat. He swore he felt his throat thicken. Already, he could hear the Erasers around them growling around him. Murmuring to each other, one barked in laughter. When he opened his eyes the silence was more deafening than the sound.

"Looks whose up." Through pitch darkness Iggy could heal the mockery in their tongues. He balled his fists readying for a fight. "Wanna come out an play." One laughed as the screeching of metal resonated through the room while they opened the door to his cage. He hadn't even realized he was in a cage but he should have known. It was the same routine every time. A hairy claw yanked at his ankle. Instantly Iggy lashed out with his feet. "Got a feisty one."

The wolves continued to laugh and growl manically as the bird boy uselessly trashed in their grip. Another set of large hands wrapped around the boy's ankle. He finally made contact with a shoulder. The mutant-wolf huffed in pain before he dragged the boy out even farther. "Now c'mon."

When they had his body all way on the floor, the boy did a sit up landing his fist in the jaws of his holder. He kicked the hand that was holding him and backed away. A grin etched across his face in triumph till he felt a big hand land on his head forcing his head into the wall beside him. The pain was excruciating as his head bounced off the steal walls. Blood dripped from his mouth. Till a thought hit him, now would be the perfect time to initiate his newly found power. He closed his eyes willing his enemy to go blind, deaf, numb, tasteless, and odorless.

"Enough you guys." The grip on his head loosens as he fell on the ground. He rubbed his nose, tilting his nose back. He hung his shoulders wondering what went wrong. He tried with every he could to emerge his new power but it wouldn't come. Not even a spark. "Let him be." The voice emitted from the far corner of the room and Iggy was still trying to get his head together.

The mutant was probably one of the first, if not that than oldest in terms of age. Appearing in his late twenties, in a brown t-shirt and tattered blue jeans, he stood bones creaking as he did so. When he took two steps he noticed the way Iggy already balled his fists again. His blue-milky eyes staring a few inches to the right of his face, not exactly directly but close enough. He laughed, "Put your fists down and let me take a look at cha." Again, he stepped forward.

But Iggy wasn't buying it. "Well gee, I didn't know I was so popular." He spread his long legs this time when heard the two footsteps getting closer. When they were just close enough he whipped out his fist, only to have it blocked by another fist. Iggy tried his knees this time when of course it countered by a knee.

The knee was strong enough to push him backwards; he stumbled tripping over someone's leg or foot. He mentally cursed himself. But before he could fall, a strong hand snatched his chin. He could feel the man's breathe close to his own face. It stunk of sulfur and mint. "Not popular but important." Then the man let go and patted his cheek. Iggy tried again to lash out at the man but all he ended up hitting was empty air.

When the man was settled back in his corner, he crossed his legs and placed one tan hand on his knee. He rubbed his hand through his dirtied shaggy hair, "so let's start with introductions shall we. I'm Ace and the fella that slammed your head against the walls Jackass." Someone snorted to the right of Iggy. "And this guy," he jabbed his thumb to the right, "is Radar. The rest you'll meet in due time". The man called Ace scrutinized the boy in front of him. "You have a little eye trouble, kid? Your eyes never really meet mine."

Iggy grimaced, "I'm blind, but I'm sure you Erasers already know that." His teeth were bared his fist clenched and his knuckles growing paler.

Ace waved his hand but stopped when he realized the boy couldn't see it. "Erasers? Boy, if we were Erasers we would have torn your joints and ligaments by now. No, were mutants just like you. A little different from you but all the same." Ace noticed the way Iggy never relaxed his stance, watching every muscles tense. "Not very trustworthy are you? That's fine; we can work on that later."

Iggy tried to believe what they were saying but he could have swore he heard growling before he woke up. His guard never let up as he asked questions. "Last time I remember Erasers were pretty rough…" He paused, "…like you." His suspicions eyes were already accusing the leader.

"Sorry about that." That must have been the first Iggy's ever heard an Eraser apologize. "Jackass, overhear doesn't know any better. Radar just likes to scare the newcomers." Ace only smiled, "any more questions."

Iggy's fists relaxed slightly, "Is his name really Jackass?" A small smile crept on his lips, as he looked over his shoulder at a man that he couldn't see. Jackass's hair was black silk cropped at the neck standing about 6'9 with wide shoulders and muscular chest.

"No, but it should be," Rader chuckled, his broken glasses jumping from his noses, his short blonde hair only fell pass the ears.

When a large hand descended on his shoulders, Iggy jumped. "My apologies," for being a jackass and a burly man he sure didn't sound like one. With his deep accent he sounded decent. "I go by the name of Link." His voice turned grim, "Yet some better know me from my nickname."

The other two mutants chuckled. "Boy, you wanna hear the tale-" Ace began when the door to room opened with a metal clang. It took Iggy to realize that they were in room long enough to lie down in but not much more than that. He heard a familiar voice rang out from the room's entrance, "Oh no, not you again."

They were soaked to the bone. "M-m-m-Max I-I think we should honker d-down for a b-bit." Nudge looked the worst, her hair was big mess of muck and mud, and the amazing thing was she wasn't complaining about it till now. "Cause we are all s-so cold and I'm t-tired. L-look at m-my hair." She whined.

The rain hadn't let up since the fight and Max was getting tired of this losing streak the flock kept having. But Max was too tired and drained to argue. They've been walking for hours in the direction where the helicopter took off. They weren't even sure if they were going the right way but somehow Max knew, her instincts were telling her so.

She nodded towards Nudge when she saw two eyes watching her. They were dark and they never once left her face, she gave him one of her why-are-looking-at-me-is-there-something-on-my-face-look, but Fang just shook his head. Eyes fixated on her. "N-no N-Nudge." Gassy sneezed, "we have t-to keep going." Dark circles were forming under his eyes and his small frame was shaking. He sneezed again for the fifteenth time; he sniffled sucking a big chunk of snot in his nose. His big eyes were looking up at their leader.

They were not using their wings for once as a means of travel instead they were walking like humans. The rain turned into torrential drizzle and Max feared it could affect their sense of direction. Max looked from one tired face to the next. Angel was too tired to even put her two-cents and Total was out-cold in her arms. She sighed, "all-right. Let's find some shelter."

They walked about another hour when a dark triangular arc pierced the sky. When Max peered closer she saw it was a little cottage. Abandon but a shelter all the same. The rain wasn't letting up anytime soon ever pounding with that same speed. "There," Max spoke as loudly as she could through chattered teeth. Angel and Gassy all about sprinted at they ran passed Max clutching their shoulders.

"Wait," Max called extending her hand. "It could be booby-trapped" But over the roar of the rain the kids already dashed in. Max ran after with Fang and Nudge following close pursuit when the they reached the door (already opened by Gassy and Angel), they found the cottage already in disrepair. The ceiling was leaking in more than one place. A stained sofa and chaired was centered in the middle. And bats flew somewhere from overhead.

It was too dark to see anything for that matter. "Gassy, you got a light." A scratching sound whipped through the room and there was a light by Gassy's face. Max didn't even asking how he managed to have or find one so fast. "See if we can get some light in here."

"How bout this?" When Max turned Gassy was already throwing the match into the fireplace. Instantly, the fire licked the wood, as flames gradually licked and grew. Max nodded, looking around her. Few lanterns hung from the beams that supported what Max figured the loft above them. She had Gassy light each one while she started barking orders at her wounded teams. "Oh," she sighed, "Nudge see if you can find some blankets. Angel find the kitchen if you see any pots and pans place them under the dripping water we could drink that later. Fang…" she turned towards him last, "see if you can find some food, leftovers, something." They were all hungry but it was more than likely that they were going hungry tonight. "If can't find anything, look for a first aid kit."

Max looked around watching the kids follow their orders. Her eyes traveled from the ceiling to the rooms. Nothing looked out of the ordinary just an old house. She sighed, around her Gassy was illuminating the place. Max felt slightly warmer. To the corner of her eye she saw Nudge make the beds with the blankets she found. As Max walked over to help, she noticed Fang come back empty handed. "This places been raided, "he said calmly. Max sighed expecting as much.

"Can we sleep in separate rooms," Nudge yawned. "I noticed that there's more than two rooms here, with King-size beds and everything." Max looked over Nudges shoulders. Two doors were spilling light into the living room. When Max nodded Nudged jumped with excitement, "Good, cause I'm soaked, and I need to dry my cloths. Oh I know we can hang them by the fire."

A flush crept along Max's cheeks. She's never taken her clothes off any reason. She coughed into her fist, "maybe just my jeans." Nudge shrugged, already peeling off her clothes and placing them by the fire.

"Suit yourself." She yawned again, "I'm so tired. Night guys." Nudge's voice died down the further she walked into her room followed by snoring. Angel grinned, just removing her clothes all that was underneath was a white undershirt and panties. She gave Max a good night kiss then she went to the room next to Nudge.

"Dibs on the loft," Before Gassy only took over her pants, he turned towards Max. "Then, straight in the morning we're looking for Iggy right?" Max smiled gently and nodded. In a second, he was flying towards his room.

"I'll take watch." Fang sat, planting himself in front of the fire crossing his arms and legs. He didn't bother to remove his soaked clothes. Max raised an eyebrow. "Get some sleep."

Like some command Max's eyes started to get heavy. She shot him a dark look, "look the other way." He raised a dark brow, but when he saw her fingers fiddling with her shirt he smirked and turned his head. Max quickly set her shirt by the fire, not just that but her jeans. She crawled under the dusty covers and closed her eyes. Within seconds, she was out.

"_Max," _Slowly Max cracked one heavy eyelid. Something wet was leaking out of the corners of her mouth. She cursed _must of drooled again. _She shook her heavy head looking for the voice that called her. It was masculine, Fang?

"Er yea Fang? Fang? Where are you?" Gassys lights must have dimmed out because all around her was total darkness. But the blankets underneath were gone, her body felt naked somehow actually naked. She didn't remember removing her underwear and under shirt. And where was that cackling fire? It couldn't have died out already. Could it?

However, still felt cold. Colder than cold, she shivered wrapping her arms around bear arms. A silver fog descended strode through her legs. A tingling chill went up her body as goose bumps rose on her flesh. "Fang?" She tried to put as much courage into that one word as she could. But the fear could not go undiscovered.

A rustle to the right made her whirl around all sense of cold gone. She edged closer watching the dark shadow rise to his feet. He stumbled and swayed but when he fell again Max was there to catch him. "Fang, what's going on? Where are the others?" she spoke ignoring how stripped she was. She gripped under his arms trying to pull him to his feet, till she felt wetness come away from her fingertips. "Fang. What happened?" Her voice was heavy with steel. "You're bleeding?" She knelt down by Fang as he began to slip from her fingertips, "Eraser?" She tried to pulling his shirt up to inspect further damaged when a glint of metal was barreling to her the center of her forehead.

_Click_

"Don't you know?" Despite Fang's shivering outstretched arm his voice was just a clear as it was gruff. "The Eraser-" He coughed into his other hand, blood splattering on his fist. He was on his knees now but Max still found him beautiful with all the blood matting his hair and dripping into his eyes.

Max held out her hands pleading, not moving an inch. Every sense was on high her alert her neck hairs straight and taunt like a porcupine. "Fang? What are you talking about? For crying out loud but the fucking gun down."

"NO!" His knuckle whitened his grip on the trigger. Pure hatred filled his dark eyes, shadows danced in his irises and molten lava pools seethed and bubbled. Again, he hacked into his hand more fastidiously than before. "No!" He repeated, his teeth grinding, "I want you to see what you've done; I want this forever scarred on your mind."

Unshed tears were pooling in her eyes, anger rushing through every pore, every vein of her body. "What. The. Hell. Fang. Your delirious, put the gun down, and-"

"No!" His voice was like a wicked thunder clap, blood stained his lips, his teeth, he looked wild. "Go and see your havoc." He whipped his head to the right motioning her to move.

Her muscles locked up in body, her eyes gradually strayed from the black, empathic gun barrel to the scene before. She froze, feeling as if tiny shards of glass were making their way into her skin but she couldn't scream or do anything about them. "What happened?" She fell to her knees. Fangs gun followed Max's motions like cat preying on a mouse. Every movement mimicked, every direction copied like a heat seeking missile.

"You! You vermin, you bitch! You used every ounce of you claws and teeth to spill their blood! You killed the flock Maximum!" With wobbly legs Max stood she felt taller than before maybe two or more inches than before. But she wasn't concerned by her height at the moment but the scene lay out in front of her. As got closer the scene unraveled itself before her like an oriental fan. Her feet were wet with some thick liquid and when looked down she fell and took Angels head into her lap.

She wailed letting the flood break through as she cried, tears splattering on the angelic girl. "Oh, Angel. No, opened your eyes, please. Angel!" Max screamed her name looking at the sky for answers hoping if there was heaven that they would have mercy on this petite, angelic girl. She stroked her face examining her wounds, wounds that were deep and marred. Like someone was trying to open soda can with a knife. Max sniffled, gaining her composure. Her fist tightened, "who did this Fang?" She stood, dropping Angel back to the cold, empty floor. She looked back over her shoulder, "who?"

His hand was steady as held out the gun at her face. "There's more Maximum," he beamed. "Now keep going we are not done." Max stared at him from the gun to back to his face again, she sighed.

She could see that not far away from Angel's body laid her brother. Although it was hard to tell the difference between the two. They were after all sibling, both resembling an angel themselves. However, like sister her brother laid in a heap. A crumpled little ball only his eyes were opened this time, the expression of fear still plastered on his face. Max had to turn away from it. His eyes were desolate but his mouth was wide open with a wire sticking out from his mouth. She didn't know how but somehow a bomb managed to go off…in his stomach. There was a gaping hole where is little stomach used to be. Max hiccupped, stifling a sob. "Ok, Fang. I get it" She hunched her shoulders, "I don't need to see the rest do I?" She turned and faced him, but his face was dead set on forcing her see every last victim of the flock.

She sighed, moving forward just a bit more. The blind brother was face down on his face unreadable and unseen. Max couldn't bear to see another petrified expression. When her eyes glided her over his body, she saw Iggy's wings nowhere to be seen. Only two long black-crimson bloods stained his T-shirt forming a 'V'. Feathers scattered around his body, but his wings were just gone. A sharp, white bone protruded on either side of his back in gruesome fashion.

Without even bothering to look around for them her eyes drifted to his hand, that was covered in some kind of dark mold. But it wasn't a mold at all; the mold had attachment, an attachment to a body. There in Iggy's palm-faced hand laid Nudge's blood stained hand, her hair was ripped from her scalp and her skin tattered some hanging from bones

Bile rose in the back of Max's thought as she stared at the horror around her, her entire body spasm. She screamed their names, repeating them like a chant. Screaming 'no' in between the words. "Fang," she turned her head.

While his white teeth shown through the darkness, "Ah Max saved me for last." It was like he wasn't hearing the anxiety in her voice, but only seeing a monstrous figure. "As I lay dying I will not let our family's death go in vain."

She tried to crawl towards him watching as his arm slowly descended at his side, his eyelids going heavy. His face paler than ever before. "Fang," she cried reaching with desperation. "who did this?"

"You" he spat the words like a bitter medicine, "look at yourself and then tell me whose the one to blame." And she did look at herself staring in horror at the blood, flesh and guts that decorated her skin, that were wedged between in toes, and through her messy hair. Other vile liquids swished through her teeth, it wasn't drool at all but…her legs felt like jelly as they swayed. She buried her head into her giant furry paws. _Paws? _She stared in horror at her claws and bending her knuckles watching as they obeyed her command. Then, she stared at her feet. No wonder why she was taller her feet were not feet at all. But long, slender Eraser legs standing on their hind quarters,

When she looked up at Fang, she said his name in a hushed and frightened whisper, "I didn't do this, believe me. I would never-"

"The blood on your hands, on your skin," He coughed a spasm broke out all over his body, "do not lie." He raised the gun with shaking arm. "Turn and see yourself, you goddamn Eraser."

She turned just in time to see her Eraser self looking straight back at her in a shimmering reflection that rippled like water. The Eraser's tongue lapped out and licked the remaining blood off its face, it growled approvingly. Then Max heard the gun crack through the air and straight into her heart.

Everything blinked out. The others around her vanished into darkness as she fell faster and faster into a void she did not know. She didn't bother to scream for she didn't believe she was worth saving. _Oh but you are_.

The voice came huskily from the darkness, an accent Max could not describe. Not like voice that was genderless, this voice she could tell was female, as it for the race; Eraser. She looked around her but found no one as she fell, darkness and shadows rushing around her. When the Erasers face appeared staring back at her, it was falling just as she was in a dark blur.

And with that the Eraser opened its jaws lunging forth. Max had no control over her moments. She tried to make her wings flap but they froze as the Eraser engulfed her in one gulp like a smoky shadow descending over her soul.

Somewhere out of the darkness Max screamed pitifully and uselessly bounding on walls that were invisible as the Eraser locked her away from world. She tried to summon her strength but the sight of her family left her emotionally and somehow physically drained. "This is a dream, I have to wake up. Wake up!"

_Soon it will be so much more than that, _and the voice faded into echo.

**Reviews are loved by all **


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you maxridelover, flygurl, Wegom77, and Blawwmkw for the reviews and the support **

**This chapter is long over due please review and comment those last few reviews actually motivated me to write thia**

Around two-fifteen is when Fang's eyes were getting heavy-lidded. Although he was used to staying up way past such hour the fatigue of the day was wearing him down. The fire from was still resonating heat seeping its way through his skin and into his bones. Gradually his eyes began to droop ever so often he would have to bite the inside of his cheek to remain consciousness. When a low murmuring noise startled him into alertness his head swiveled around expecting Angel to come running towards him with some type of nightmare.

The house was quiet though saved for the fire was crackling, light embers floating through the chimneys tunnel. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his palms, reminding himself to focus. Already he's taken the liberty to remove the kids clothing from the fire fully dried and warm. He paused when he held Max's clothes in his hand. The fabric slid over his skin as he felt it between his fingertips. He brought the fabric to his nose taking a whiff of Max's scent, his head jerked to the right. It reeked of blood and dirt and sweat. His eye soften hinting tinge of Max still on her clothes, a smell like fresh pine and salt. It was a strange scent, original but it was her own. He looked over at her sleeping form watching as her hands balled into fists and her eyebrows come together.

He set the pieces of clothing fearing the wrath of Max if she found him sniffing her clothes. An image of Max's enraged and puzzled face popped in his head. He could see her brown eyes turn dark with a glint of curious gold sparkled in her iris. A smirk fanned across his face as the picture took form. Shaking his head he plopped himself down by the fire as he felt his muscles grow weary.

His eyes darted around the room in search of a clock analog or digital. All he found was old, faded photos of a family that once lived here. Brushing his fingertips off his jeans he stood examining them. He could tell that these were taken from a long time ago as they were without color. Only black, grey, and white shown his face fell when he saw a mother and father holding the hands of little boy with black hair. Fang paused, scrutinizing the photo even further.

He grasped the photo in his hand when the whimpering started it again. He froze waiting for the sound to erupt again. Only the whimper came into a full-out wail. The photo slipped through his finger crashing to the floor with glass and broken pieces. He turned on his heel watching as Max's form twitched and arched in strange ways.

Fang could not help but stare as her half-naked body revealed itself from under the covers. He legs kicked and flailed pushing the blankets off her sweaty body. Her back arched sliding the covers off her chest. She groaned in pain and almost pleasure as her fingernails dug into her body. "Max?" Fang hesitantly took a step. Her fingers were digging into her flesh all way from her stomach to her chest to arms then finally they reached her face. And Fang realized they weren't digging but mutilating, ripping the flesh right off her. "Max!"

He darted forward grapping her bare shoulders and ignoring the flush that crept up his neck and cheeks. With olive hands he shook her shoulders however that only cause Max to scream even more. Her fingernails transforming into thick, black claws that dug into her cheek and tore open fissures on her skin. "Max, stop it! Stop it!" When he shook her again, her wail pierced his ears shattering the photo frame's glass and waking up everyone in the house.

Nudge was the first to escape from her bedroom. She stood at the entrance of her bedroom looking frighten as she ran to help Fang. "what's wrong with her?" But Fang wasn't listening to her or anyone else who was coming towards him. He was aware of Gassy next running down the stairs, tripping on the last step as paused as he laid there. Slowly Gasser's head rose from the floor with his eyes open in fear and shock. Angel stood a ways from the couple, her eyes focusing on some point on Max's skull. He was aware but Fang felt it was just him and her in this world, and his world was falling apart right in front of him.

"Open your eyes, Max!" The only response was Max's clawed fingers crawling towards her scalp scratching away hair and skin. Fang could just make out the canines on Max's teeth. Her lips were curled back as her throat arched. Fang shook his head and swore. He took both of Max's claws hands into his own struggling to pry them apart from her head. His hands shook as they were covered in blood and sweat, now running down Max's face. Her face was covered in that metallic, copper liquid.

He pushed with his thigh pinning Max's arm at her side as her head tossed to side to side violently. Saliva dribbled from the corners of her mouth. "Fang! What's happening?" Nudge was pulling at Fang's arm. "Help her Fang, help her." Her voice was barely heard over the hysteria. As Gassy was crying somewhere in the corner and Angel telling him something but he couldn't hear her over her tiny voice.

When Nudge received a dark look from Fang, she shut up realizing she wasn't helping. "What can I do Fang? Fang? Please, let me help? What's going-"

"Get me some damn bandages!" He roared so loud that Nudge closed her mouth again with an audible click. She never heard him speak that way to her or an enemy. His voice was rich with worry, layered with a deep tone that quells any storm if his voice could do such a thing. Again softly he said, "Bandages, please." His voice shook at the end as Nudge strained her ears to hear him. Nudge could have sworn he saw something in his eyes, but she was already up the stairs. Running pass Gassy in search of anything that could be used as a bandage. The screaming of Max was still audible even as Nudge searched in the attic.

_Do it Fang_, Fang wasn't sure if it was his own voice or Angels' speaking directly to him. He was shushing Max, stroking her thrashing, sweaty face anything to quell the nightmare Max was experiencing. It had to be a nightmare, what else could be going on? Logic sunk in his fear of Max was growing sick, the School messed with her. Or the Voice was really going haywire this time. _Do it._ His head whipped looking directly in Angel's direction who only nodded.

Fang had a brief idea what Angel was saying, intending for him to do. But he shook his head in denial; he couldn't do this, not to her. Again, he looked up from Angel's face to Gassy who was hiccupping sobs. Somehow he managed to get to his sister and hold her hand. "Got'em." Nudge shoved the bandaged into Fang's lap. _Do it, Fang. Do it now._ So much was happening at once he couldn't take it. He clenched his eyes shut and realized he had no other options.

With Max claws curling almost targeting his thighs, tearing at his jeans in which Fang didn't even realize. Blood was trickling through his pants just now feeling the effects. "Sorry, Max." Her back was lifting from the floor, her mouth opening and closing, her head whipping side to side. He waited for the exact moment when her bloodied and bruised cheek would hit the floor once again. _Now! _And he struck.

His fist collided with her temple, hard.

He watched in awe as her body relaxed. Her back slowly relapsed to the floor and her claws and fangs sliding back inside her gums and skin. Fang released a shuttering breathe he didn't know he was holding. His knuckle came away bloodied as he stared at her face now coated with more blood. Her breathing became regular once again. Whatever heat that has crawled up his face was now replaced with a cold, dread of what just took place here.

Even though Nudge smacked him in the arm his limbs felt numb. "Fang! Whatcha do that for?" But Fang was still trying to get his breathe back. His chest was heaving in great breaths, his eyes all black and vulnerable. "Fang?" Nudge spoke quieter now, resting on her feet. "Here let me." She took the fabric she found, torn and made into strips and made a move to place them on Max's bloodied body when Fang's hand snatched her fingers.

"I'll do it." He said darkly and whipping the bandages from her fingertips. His dark eyes slide from under his eye lashes casting a haunted expression. "Get to bed," he whispered. "All of you, bed." His voice rose so that Angel and Gasser heard him too. Gassy sniffled taking a step forward; he whipped his snot and tears with his hand.

"What about-"

"Bed! Now!" Gasser cringed, he'd never heard Fang speak so roughly towards him nor has he ever heard Fang sound more afraid. Fang was his big brother, his brother that didn't fear anything. And when he saw his big brother's frighten expression a part of him went cold too.

Again, Gassy sniffled and did as he was told and walked like an old, feeble man to his bed. Angel casted Fang and Max another look as if she approved of Fangs actions as she turned towards her room. "We'll talk about it in the morning." It was like he was talking to himself.

"No! Fang! Tell us what's going on!" Nudge grabbed his shoulder turning him around. When Fang raised his eyes, she let out a tiny gasp. Seeing pools of black holes and emptiness in them as her anger faded. She nodded once looking from Fang to Max before patting him on the shoulder. When the audience was gone, Fang sighed turning to attend Max's wounds.

Iggy could have smiled when heard her voice echo through the room. He was saved. The flock has managed to break into the school and bust him out just like they did Angel. But his face fell when caught the note of cockiness in her voice. It wasn't Max. If anything he remembered this Max. She even wanted to cook for them at one time. Iggy chuckled at that thought. "Well, nice to see you too copycat." He stood placing his hand behind his back whistling softly to himself.

Max II face scrunched together. "Ugh, I thought you would of died by now." Max II sneered resting her hand on the door frame. "Guess even the blind has longevity." Her lips curled into devilish grin crossing her arms.

"I've missed you," Iggy snorted crossing his arms in disgust. _The blind remarks were really getting old_. He knew he was blind. He knew the territory that came with it. And also knew that he was an easy target amongst the rest of them. But that didn't mean he wouldn't fight back either with his fist or with a smile.

When a low chortle echoed from the other side of the room, "I take it you too met?" Ace pleasantly asked shaking his head. Max II only curled her lips at the mutant clearly finding him repugnant and disgusting.

"Nothing gets by you does it?" she rolled her eyes taking a foot inside the room. There was an awkward silence as Max II stood in the door analyzing each of the mutants. "Well, birdie. You're wanted in CELL 7." Iggy tilted his head in confusion but her thick and sharp fingernails were already digging into his skin. Some mutants got all of the luxuries.

As he was forced towards the outside he heard the others gasp, followed by three clangs from behind him. One of them was the door closing behind him with a loud bang. The two Iggy guessed were Radar and Ace running towards the door to stop her. At least, Iggy hoped that was the case.

"C.E.L.L. 7?" Iggy asked as she dragged him through the hallway. Her grip was like an iron-vice he was trying to pry her fingers off but it was useless. If she thought that he would just let her drag him around and to some torture experiment she was dead wrong. So instead he kicked out with his legs when he felt the first breathe of words fell from her mouth. He first kicked her side then her leg. But the grip held and Max II was still walking as if nothing happened.

_Note to sell: Max II has an indestructible body. _"Oh, you'll find out," Iggy could of sworn he heard the satisfaction in her voice. He yanked again when a thought dawned on him. Again, he concentrated willing his power to come. But then again he didn't know where his power was coming from his head, his heart, hell it could be coming from his feet for all he knew. He hung his shoulders low. Agitated and frustrated at the same time of course he gets a neat trick and go figure he can't perform it. Only he could once with that mutant before he sighed. Did everything around him become nothing?

"What the-" He felt Max II paused as she skidded to a stop. He almost fell on top of her (a perverted thought entered his thought, then again this was Max's double). That's when he felt her nails loosen and he could see. Well, see everything that Max II was not seeing. He watched in fascination as the girl turned her head this way and that. His eyes widen even further when took in the white, blindly bright walls. There were fluorescent glowing lights humming above flickering. He took this all when out of the corner of his eye he saw Max II stumble towards and into his arms. Then his vision was gone.

As the darkness swelled around him like a thousand black moths he heard Max II regain her voice. "What the hell-" she stopped short. Iggy detected when she was facing her, the way air moved when turned and when the direction of the sound her voice carried; directly in front of her. "What did you-?" She was rapidly in taking air, panic swelling inside her.

Iggy didn't even know how to respond because he didn't even understand the ability himself. He opened his mouth then closed he clasped his hands behinds his back and smirked. "Your body sure is thick," Max II cocked her head to the side still trying to understand the situation. "But I liked it better when you were fat."

She stamped her foot on the ground in frustration, "I was never fat!" Her hands flew out as she griped his thin t-shirt, "how would you know anyway?" Iggy only smiled rolling his eyes before Maxx II pulled him close to her face. "Your blind remember".

A fact that didn't needed to be reminded of. He rolled his eyes again as he felt the hand leaving as stumbled back into an upright position. The corners of his mouth lifted. "Well, that's old news. Probably older than you." Again, Max II snarled grabbing his arms a little too roughly.

"Enjoy C.E.L.L 7," She whispered, "you won't be able speak for weeks." Iggy felt the bruises risings on the inside of inner arms. She led him down twisted hallways and around corners yet Iggy didn't lose track of the number of footsteps. They passed a couple of white coats that Iggy couldn't quite recall. Their voice was different from the last time he was here even their names were unrecognizable.

"Mr. Harris." Max II stopped short where Iggy almost lost his balance. The man had is pointed nose concealed by his clipboard. His glasses were barely hanging on. A bald spot was forming on the far reaches of his thinning graying grassland atop his head. When he spoke he sounded much older than your typical adult.

"Ahh, Maxis." Crow's feet were gathering at the oddest of places mostly around his eyes. His eyes locked on the mutant bonded to the clone of Maximum Ride. "And what this?" He suede shoes clacked against the white tile floor, "is this one of them?" Max II nodded but Mr. Harris was stepping forward hand stretched when Iggy felt the fingers between the air and his face. He wretched away forgetting the ball and chain around his forearm and he tensed when he felt something being pulled from within the confines of his muscles and tissues.

In swift motion Mr. Harris drew back. "I see," he pierced lips somberly. He old eyes examined the boy further noticing the angry eyes of the boy weren't looking directly at him. "Shame" he shook his head but seemed to regain himself. He positioned the clipboard in front of him reading over his notes. "Instead of C.E.L.L 7 today, move him to C.E.L.L 2."

Max II's face fell, "What? I've been given direct orders-

'He's being sent to C.E.L.L 2 my dear." When he saw disobedience in her face, his voice turned hard. "Unless you would take in his stead. No? Good. They're ready for you." Mr. Harris languid footsteps echoed through the hallway as he got further away.

"C'mon" Iggy felt himself yanked roughly but whatever this 'CELL' was he wasn't going into. Again he pulled and struggled against her but there was no leave. Again, he tried stalling.

"You're under a tight rope uh?" Silence was his only response. He tried a different tactic; taunting. "Could you loosen your fingers, I'll think a Grand Canyon is forming from your-"

A resonating ring roared through his ears. The slap stung but not as much when he felt the soles of feet hit his restricted zone. He went down holding the middle of where his legs came together. Nails dug into his hair yanking his head back. She whispered something in his ear that made him cringe however he tried to block the pain while Max II went to grab for him again he rolled away.

He struggled to stand but only for a second, sweat beaded from his forehead. Then he smiled, "why are you smiling!" Max II growled in frustration balling her fists. "You stupid, pathetic bird. I'm going grind that smile into the wall!"

A gust of wind bellowed through the narrow hallways hurling Max II and only her down the far reaches of the passageway. "Don't you just get tired of that mouth" Iggy recognized the voice. It was Rayne, with her throaty tone and cocky comebacks, and of course the unmistakable wind manipulation. He cursed under his breath he was meant to use the taunting as a diversion and simultaneously find a way to initiate his new mutant gift. Now with two enemies…things just got complicated.

Slowly Max II gathered herself from the floor glaring heat at the wind mutant. "What are you doing Ray?" In instant Ray was holding the Max II neck clawing her fingers deep into her esophagus. Iggy unaware noticed the change in the atmosphere. Both were out of range so he ran. "Your letting-" Ray squeezed deepen.

A seductive grin curled across her face, "I never let my prey escape." Like the wind Rayne disappeared.

The pain from his cheek was fading and other pains were fading too. He ran didn't know where but away from them. He counted the steps Max II took and retraced his steps. He desperately wanted to see again but of course there was no one here to touch for sight. Two things were certain he had to touch someone else to see and usually it was by chance. What a frustrating power and what a drawback. If he could only see at will…something cold lifted his chin making him stop dead.

"Going somewhere?" Iggy swallowed, a sweet fragrance rolled off her like a temptation. Rayne withdrew her fan from his chin, "like it? Of course you cannot see it but its tessen fan, do you know what that is?" she waited for his reply. "You have nice blue eyes." She commented, "too bad they took that away."

She slapped the fan in the palm in her head. "All right so what's the agenda today. C.E.L.L 2?" In instance Iggy yanked her by the wrist and pulled her close. Rayne tried to wretch away but her vision was starting to dim. "What are you-"

Then, he could see. He saw the white floor and hallways again. And he saw her, the wind mutant. He squeezed her wrist tighter which seemed to enhance his vision fully. Details were clearer and the haziness cleared and he could finally see.

Then he felt her slipping from his hand and when looked down he saw her hand reach for chest as she gasped and choked air. When he looked up he saw a white boy with his hand outstretched at the wind mutant grinning devilishly.

Tears would have been brought to his eyes the minute his vision was swept away but he knew sulking wasn't going to bring back his visions. That lesson was learned long before he escaped here. Choking and gasping noises were fading as heard the girl stand. Rayne wiped away salvia from her mouth, "Omega what-"she was silenced by some unseen force.

"Why isn't he in C.E.L.L 2?" He looked back and forth between the mutants. "It would seem you and Max II have listening problems."

"Like all women." It wasn't meant to be said, but Iggy said it for humor relief.

"Yes" Omega nodded. His speed was incomparable to Maximum ride turbo speeds the next second Iggy found himself far away from the sterile hallways and white corridors. He found himself lying on a cold floor. "Welcome to C.E.L.L 2".


End file.
